Existing conventional ice chest/coolers are a continuous insulated body with the access point being the lid(s) on top. This can cause difficulties when different products are stored in said ice chest. Difficulties include potential cold hands from searching through ice for a beverage, and more so, for a particular beverage. Food product, even when stored in containers, are disturbed through transportation and from sifting for beverages or other. Some containers become crushed or open and expose contents to mix with ice. If raw meat is stored in ice chest/cooler, it can discharge contaminated liquid onto ice and other items in ice chest. The ice itself is often deemed not suitable or preferred for use as drinking ice for a beverage.
Worst case is that the ice and other contents become contaminated with salmonella poisoning from raw meat stored in ice chest. Most raw meat packages tend to not be packaged in leakproof packages. Even when the package is additionally stored inside of a typical non-leakproof plastic supermarket bag, both have a tendency to mix with liquids in the ice chest, allowing the raw meat liquid to escape the packaging and typical supermarket bag. Once that liquid leaks out, it can easily contaminate all contents, including foods, beverage cans and bottles, as well as the ice.
Food is best stored away from ice and water, as long as refrigeration temperatures are maintained. It also helps tremendously in avoiding cross contamination and possible salmonella poisoning.